Why the Old Testament is Important for Today’s Christian Walk

 

 

Too often, the tendency of Christians today is to view the Old Testament as outdated, archaic, and irrelevant for life and faith in our modern times. While it is certainly important to understand that we are in no way under the Old Covenant or Law anymore as found in the Old Testament, it is nevertheless also important to note that, were it not for the Old Testament, we would not have our New Testament faith.

I believe it a grave and unfortunate error to make the mistake of never reading or enjoying the Old Testament, instead always viewing it as not applicable in any way to us today. For the following reasons, I encourage you to pick up your Bible and spend a bit of time in one of the books of the Old Testament instead of, as is the practice of some, merely spending your Bible time solely in the New Testament. I think you’ll be glad you did!

 

Why Reading the Old Testament is Important for our Faith Today

 

• The Old Testament provides the New Testament with its very meaning and context.

Without the pages of the Old Testament, the New Testament simply wouldn’t make any sense. Just think about the myriad of questions we would have if all we had access to was the New Testament – “How did the world begin?”, “What is this sin stuff these New Testament writers are talking about?”, “How did sin even enter the world?”, “Why did Jesus choose to die on the cross?”, etc. All of these and more are answered in the Old Testament, the pages of which provide us with an excellent foundation for then understanding the New Testament. Because, keep in mind, if we didn’t have the Old Testament, we also would not have those New Testament passages which quote it in order to explain or illustrate a teaching. How much we would be missing if we didn’t have the first 39 books of the Bible!

 

• The Old Testament is the basis and foundation of our faith.

Without the Old Testament prophecies, we wouldn’t have the same unshakable proof of Jesus being the Messiah, our Savior. It is through a knowledge of the over 300 Old Testament prophecies that Christ perfectly fulfilled that we are bolstered daily in our faith, resting in the knowledge that He certainly is, without a doubt, the Savior of the world that was promised.

 

For the other 5 reasons why the Old Testament is so important, head on over to Young Wives Club to read the rest of my article for this month.